Back from Wizard World Chicago 2008

Donald L Stephens Rosemont Convention Center in IllinoisSaturday I took the trip down to the beautiful Rosemont convention center in Des Plaines, Illinois for the Flames Rising webzine I’m project manager for. I had the opportunity to talk with artists, publishers, vendors and many, different folk excited about the comic book industry. This was my first comic book convention, and I have to say that I was very impressed with how nice everyone was.

I did a full write-up of the con through this article on Flames Rising, “Impressions of Wizard World 2008.” Additionally, I asked a few of the artists I had met to write some guest blog posts on topics related to our universe: first convention appearance, copyright and image rights, etc. If you have something you’d like to know about hiring artists or working with them, feel free to contact me with your questions and I’ll feature them on my blog. The artists I met were very enthusiastic and dedicated to the concept of working within a community; I’m sure that one of them would be happy to answer anything you might want to know.
Sandperson Costume from Wizard World Chicago 2008

My next big convention will be at GenCon Indianapolis where I will be working the Abstract Nova booth. Fortunately, this company is really great to work with and understands that my day job comes first. In my reflections of a gaming industry freelancer, I had talked about some of the positive and negative experiences I’ve had in the industry. My first writing credit in the gaming industry was through this company, and I’m happy to support its efforts to grow.

This week is going to be a bit on the light side for posting: I just had two, really great pieces of news come through the pipe and my deadline for the last novella is looming. With a shorter workweek due to the July 4th holiday, things are extremely busy in my world.

The two that I have in the hopper do continue the discussion about getting published and where to look: thank you to everyone who provided quotes for my upcoming posts. I will get to those posts as soon as I can.

Happy scribing and please, don’t forget to write!

Search Engine Strategies: I’m in New York!

Thanks for staying tuned to my blog, I’m going to have a brief interruption this week primarily because I’ve been attending a work-related conference through Search Engine Strategies: New York. I’m listening to speakers and sitting in on some interesting sessions where buzzwords are floating around and everyone is in a tither over a little something called “universal search.”

So please, bear with me as I return home to my family in Madison, a daunting “to-do” list, and a rather larger “in” box that is
waiting patiently for me at my cool day job. 🙂

Happy scribing!

Writing Conference at UW-Milwaukee March 7 to 9 2008

Billed as the conference where “you CAN succeed as a writer, the Sixth Annual Spring Writer’s Festival at UW-Milwaukee offers a variety of seminars for novices to the craft. I have a vested interest in this conference because my Netconcepts work colleague, Jeff Muendel who writes for a variety of publications including CNet Searchlight and Practical eCommerce, will be presenting. His seminar is one of interest to many authors, it is titled, “A Writer’s Website” and takes place on Sunday, March 9th at 9:30 a.m. Jeff works as an analyst and has a lot of expertise to share — he’s also a fiction author in his own right — so if you’re planning on paying the $269 to go, be sure to stop by and listen to his “must-see” presentation.

Jeff Muendel’s presentation is perfect for any writer, novice or pro. Here’s the synopsis of Jeff’s presentation:

Read More…

Highlights from Previous Seminars: Freelance Writing 101

Digging through the archive of handouts and seminar presentations, I thought I’d post the notes from one of the roundtables I participated in.

What is a freelance writer?

  • An independent contractor “for hire”
  • A savvy business owner
  • Has great “time-management” skills
  • Knows what they are worth
  • Has realistic expectations and goals
  • A qualified individual performing a service
  • An “expert” in their field

How do I promote myself?

    Online

  • Establish your identity
  • Follow-up emails and thank yous
  • Be professional
  • Avoid “flame wars”
  • Distinguish yourself from fans
  • Network through social media
  • Use proper “grammar” (avoid L33t or LOL-speak)
  • Referrals

    Offline

  • Non-Gaming Seminars
  • Business groups
  • Community organizations
  • Conventions
  • “Best” Time to talk to publishers
  • Dos and Donts of what to say
  • Portfolio/Resume or not to Portfolio

How do I find work?

  • Develop your Own criteria
  • What will you accept as payment?
  • What do you want to write?
  • Who do you want to work for?
  • Be realistic based on experience

About Me: Appearance at GenCon-Indy

In about two weeks I will be attending the 40th anniversary of GenCon Indy as a panelist with W.H. Horner from Fantasist Enterprises, and veteran freelance author, editor, and panelist James Lowder who has worked with Wizards of the Coast, Green Ronin, Eden Studios, and White Wolf to name a few. My portion of the seminar will cover self-promotion. Here are some of the highlights I intend to cover:

  • Conventions & Seminars
  • Building Contacts Online
  • Asking for Work
  • The Follow-up
  • Difficult Personalities
  • Air of Neutrality

I will be presenting for about a half-an-hour, after which we’ll open up the panel for Q&A. Handouts and other info will be provided on my end, so bring your questions if you’re in town or post here for more information.

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